A publick discovery of a secret deceit. Or, the man of sin unmasked, his sheeps-clothing of glorious pretences pulled off; and his wolvish inside set forth in its colours. Where may easily be discerned Satan transformed into the resemblance of an angel of light, in that sect or society commonly called Quakers. Being nineteen quæries, directed to their speakers at the Bull and Mouth neer Aldersgate: and answered by that grand fomenter of heresie, James Nayler. With a reply thereunto, and fourteen queries more returned by him unto me, fully answered: and twenty four more proposed. / By me John Deacon.

Quere 7.

Seeing you affirme that none can be Ministers of Christ but who are called of man, and are learned men; whe∣ther was the Apostle Paul a true Minister, who saith, he was neither of man, nor by man; and what he preached, was not after man. Nor was it but by revelation, Gal. 1.2, 11, 12. Or was Peter, John, and the rest, true Ministers, who were unlearned and ignorant men, Acts 4.13. And what lets that God may not chuse such now?

An Answer to the Seventh Quere.

If ever Satan had the penning of a paper stuffed up with untruths, or Beelzebub the portraying of his un∣expressible hypocrisie to the prospect of humane eyes, with the pen of his falshoods; then certainly he or his Agents are the Inditors of this your packet of lyes, and particularly this Query, which deserveth rather censure then answer, or at the least to be turned back without either; yet since you endeavour to render me odious in the eyes of your Proselytes, I shall answer ac∣cording to truth, and returne thee thy lyes, according as thou sentest them to me; and yet be so far from re∣venging thy injurious slanders, that I shall passe them by with an honourable scorne. And whereas you say that I affirm that none can be the Ministers of Christ but such as are called of men, is a branch of thy old root, a most impudent lye; for that were all one in effect to assert all that are called of men are the Ministers of Christ, and none else; and this were by consequence to affirm James Naylor, that grand fomenter of Heresie, to be a true teacher of Divinity, because unto me he ap∣peares as called of m••n, or of himselfe, and so by man, or else goeth not being sent, and runs when the Lord bids him not goe; for called of Christ he cannot be,

because he opposeth his commands, and belyes his In∣stitutions in general; and he that preacheth downe Christ in any thing, so much preacheth up Antichrist, and therefore is his servant whom he obeyes; and it is want of learning among the vaine praters of your So∣ciety that errours so much predominates, as to exupe∣rate in them, who being ignorant of the truth, speak evill of the things they doe not understand; and for Paul, he was a true Minister, and one who was faithful in the di∣stribution of that Gospel whereof he was made a Mini∣ster, not of man, nor by man, but of Jesus Christ, as a wise Master builder; who did not erre, though you may suppose he did, when he transmitted of his Authority to Titus, to ordaine Elders in every City of Crete; and for which end he was left there, and directed Timothy whom to make Bishops; who himselfe had received the gift of Prophesie, by the laying on of the hands of the Presbyter: And that Pauls doctrine was not after man, but by Revelation of Jesus Christ, proves thee a lyar, and a seducer too, that saith, It is the words of men, and therefore not Jesus: And Peter and John were true Ministers of Christ; and though that the high Priests and Rulers perceived them to be unlearned and igno∣rant men, yet this is most sure, that they spake with all manner of tongues, none excepted; and if this be ig∣norance void of learning, I speak of humane learning, I would gladly be informed what learning is; and for Divinity, if they were unlearned and ignorant, woe unto them who build on their writings; and ignorant indeed was Paul, who saith, The Scriptures are able to make a man wise unto salvation; but this I am bold to say, that if they were ignorant, I would we were all so, and such fooles, as by our foolishnesse we might become exceeding wise, and thereby obtain eternal Redemption; and there is nothing lets, but that God may doe what he will, for he cannot be limited, with whom all things are possible, and therefore no∣thing impossible; but yet this I dare boldly assert, that

God never did, nor never will use any extraordinary meanes, to destroy the ordinary standing meanes, as you endeavour to doe; neither did he, or ever will send any, though he may permit them to preach up Anti∣christs doctrine of Heresie, as doe you; neither did e∣ver any, except false Prophets, come to claime credit unto the words that he spoke, unto the best of my know∣ledge, but he was to give proof of it, either by the migh∣ty operations of the spirit of God by him, or by the testimony of them who before had come with such works; for the spirits of the Prophets are subject unto other Prophets; or else if he were a Prophet, the event was to declare whether he was of God, or no; and yet still, if the matter of his exhortation were to withdraw us from the known will of God, as is yours, and the rest of your praters of the Quaking Society, though the signes and wonders should come to passe, as the man of Sinne shall abound with such deceivablenesse, yet we ought not to hearken unto it, though the simple beleeve every word; for the Lord by such as you proveth us, whether we will be faithful to the death, that we may inhe∣rit a crown of life, by keeping his commandements.

Notes

• Rom. 6.16
• Gal 1.1 1 Cor: 3.10 Tit. 1.5. 1 Tim. 3. c. Tit. 1.7, 8, 9:
• Acts 2.6.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
• 2 Tim. 3.15, 16.
• 2 Thess. 2.9, 10. Pro. 14.15 Deut. 13, 1, 2, 3.